TUDOR COSMETICS.

Tudor cosmetics

The use of make-up during the Elizabethan era was a fashion which the Queen herself set. Queen Elizabeth was naturally a red head with a pale complexion, but as she grew older she wore more detailed make -up which was useful for hiding her scarring on her face from small pox. The mixture was also useful for hiding wrinkles and other signs of ageing this helped her maintain her illusion of beauty and image of the Virgin Queen.

During the Elizabethan Era only people who wore wealth were capable of achieving the pale look, this indicates that the poor women would be working outside so their complexion would appear a lot darker to the wealthier. 

The mixtures the elizabethan worn was Ceruse this was vinegar and lead, this mixture was extremely poisonous but the Queen still chose to use it, but in later years faced the consequences. 
Cohineal was also used to stain their lips and cheeks, this is also used in food colouring in today's era but originally made from crushed beetles. Madder and vermilion was also used to redden the effect. Kohl was used to darker their eyelashes also. 

The image above gives us a perfect illusion of how Queen Elizabeth looked during her time as the Virgin Queen. 



References

http://www.sixwives.info/tudor-make-up.htm
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/makeup.html